Specialty
Sleep & Insomnia Therapy
When night becomes the hardest part of the day
Few things wear a person down like not sleeping. The nights feel endless, the days feel foggy, and somewhere along the way, bedtime itself became stressful. You watch the clock, calculate how many hours you have left, and feel the pressure to sleep pushing sleep further away. *
Maybe you struggle to fall asleep while your mind races through the day. Maybe you fall asleep easily but wake at three in the morning with no way back. Maybe you technically sleep and still wake up feeling like you have not rested at all. Whatever the pattern, insomnia has a way of taking over, so that much of your day gets organized around dreading the night. *
Sleep problems are rarely just about sleep. Worry, an over-activated nervous system, and the anxiety about not sleeping itself all keep the cycle going. That is actually good news, because those patterns respond to treatment. With the right support, nights can become ordinary again. *
Signs sleep & insomnia may be affecting your life
- Lying awake for a long time before falling asleep
- Waking during the night and struggling to fall back asleep
- Waking too early no matter when you go to bed
- Sleep that does not leave you feeling rested
- Racing thoughts or replaying the day the moment your head hits the pillow
- Watching the clock and calculating lost hours
- Dreading bedtime or feeling anxious as evening approaches
- Relying on strict rituals, or screens, to get through the night
- Daytime exhaustion, fog or irritability that affects work and relationships
- Canceling or limiting plans because of how badly you slept
Our approach to sleep & insomnia
Insomnia usually persists because of a loop. A stretch of poor sleep leads to worry about sleep, worry keeps the nervous system alert at exactly the wrong time, and the bed becomes associated with effort instead of rest. Treatment works on that loop directly, addressing both the racing mind and the body that will not power down. *
Your care is tailored to your history and your nights, not a one-size-fits-all program. Clinical hypnosis is especially relevant for sleep, helping the body relearn how to downshift and making the transition into sleep feel available again rather than forced. Therapy also addresses the worry, stress and life patterns that feed wakefulness. Where a medical issue may be contributing, we encourage proper evaluation, and this work proceeds alongside any care from your physician. *
The aim is not a perfect night every night. It is a nervous system that trusts sleep again, a bedtime that feels neutral instead of loaded, and mornings where you recognize yourself. *
Clinician who specializes in sleep & insomnia
ACT · EMDR · Hypnosis
Dr. Laura Faiwiszewski works with sleep difficulties as part of her broader mind-body focus. She helps people quiet the racing thoughts and bodily tension that keep the night adversarial, often incorporating clinical hypnosis to support the shift into rest. Her approach fits people whose sleeplessness is tangled up with stress, worry or a body that will not settle. *
Full profile →Modalities
Therapy approaches that may help
We integrate these techniques, custom-tailored to you, in the order your nervous system can use first.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- How is this different from the sleep hygiene advice I have already tried?
- Most people who reach us have already tried the standard tips. Therapy goes deeper, working with the anxiety, overthinking and nervous system activation that keep you wired at night. Rules about screens and caffeine rarely fix a mind that will not switch off, but treating the underlying loop can. *
- Can hypnosis really help me sleep?
- Clinical hypnosis is a well-studied tool for relaxation and sleep, and it is quite different from what stage shows suggest. It teaches your nervous system how to downshift on purpose, which is precisely the skill insomnia erodes. Many people find it one of the most directly useful parts of treatment. *
- Do I need to stop taking sleep medication to start therapy?
- No. Any decisions about medication belong with you and your prescribing clinician. Therapy works alongside medication, and many people find that as their sleep improves, they have more options to discuss with their prescriber. *
- What if my sleep problem has a medical cause, like sleep apnea?
- Medical contributors matter and deserve proper evaluation, and we will encourage that where the picture suggests it. Therapy complements medical care rather than replacing it. Even when a medical condition is involved, the worry and conditioning around sleep often need their own attention. *
- Why does trying harder to sleep make it worse?
- Sleep is one of the few things effort actively sabotages. Trying to force sleep activates the same alert systems that keep you awake, which is why the pressure of "I have to sleep now" so reliably backfires. Treatment helps you step out of that struggle so sleep can arrive on its own. *
- How long until my sleep improves?
- Many people notice their nights beginning to shift within the first weeks as the pressure around sleep eases. More established patterns take longer to fully change. Your clinician will review progress with you regularly rather than leaving you guessing. *
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